That led to Wilmots losing his job as Belgium sought a new direction for their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

In Martinez they have turned to a man whose entire managerial career has been spent in England.

Having started out at Swansea City, where he won the third-tier title, he went on to enjoy a spell at Wigan Athletic that included an against-the-odds FA Cup triumph in 2012-13.

Despite claiming fifth spot in his first season in charge at Everton, the two campaigns that followed showed a decline in form and Martinez was dismissed with one game of the 2015-16 campaign remaining.

Belgium are drawn alongside Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus and Gibraltar in their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign and start with a game against Cyprus on September 6.